Episode 46 | Interviewing Q&A | What To Do When Your Interviewee Gets Cold Feet
The Art Of The InterviewShow Notes
What do you do when an interviewee (sometimes a central interviewee!) suddenly gets nervous and gets cold feet about the interview? How do you navigate the emotional intricacies that are involved in getting someone to feel comfortable and safe doing an interview with you?
In this episode, I talk about some techniques that I used to talk down my interviewees and restore their confidence in the process when they get nervous about the interview. I talk about how to:
Identify the concerns
Normalize and legitimize the concerns
Increase and reaffirm their agency
Tighten up the container
Actually fulfill on your commitments
These items have helped me to calm and reconnect with multiple interviewees and get them back on track for doing a powerful and comfortable interview with me.
More from The Art Of The Interview
Like a photograph, the quality of the frame will make an interview better or worse. In this week's episode, I talk about the many ways I frame interviews before, during, and after the interview is complete, and how that makes for a better interview.
Ever gone on a date with someone who only talks about themselves? Me neither. But that would be obnoxious, on a date or while being interviewed.
Your mindset will influence how your interview. In this week's episode, I talk about three essential mindsets to practice to get better interviews.
Everyone knows the experience of sitting across from someone who you disagree with and feel animosity towards. In this week's episode, I talk about five steps to help you step out of antipathy and into empathy so you can have better interviews and conversations with people who you just don't see eye to eye.
The Art of the Interview is back! Starting in February 2024, I'll be hosting a weekly episode and releasing it every Tuesday.